The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
Editurtal 8rtets
BY REV. I. NJ. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

the new law In the State of New York re-
quiring the public schools to teach the
effects of alcohol and tobacco on the hu-
man system, open up wide question. Sci =
ence objects to the method employed, that
it does not so much give knowledge of
physiology as attempt to give informa-
ton in regard to drinking and smoking
new side issue" But the intent of the
law-whether wise or not is aside from
the question-was to have the children in
structed in physiology as related to drink
ing and smoking. That the result of the
introduction OF the study into t4le schools
should be to lay the emphasis on the
practical effect rather than on the scien-
tifc truth, is precisely what was aimed at.
It is the common criticism of men of
affairs on students just graduated from
the schools, that they do not know the
use of their learning. Their knowledge
is unrelated TO practice. In the course of
their study the fact seems never to have
been connected with any use to be made
of it. Pupils who can recite any rule of
grammar, with numerous exceptions, can
not construct language properly. Pupils
who, with their noses between the covers
OF the book, can solve the most intricate
problems OF mathematics, are bsffled by
bill OF lumber or stone. And so of innu-
merable other things. Now the question
is, should physiology and algebra and
grammar and all the rest, be taught as
"science" simply, or should they be so
taught that the pupil will know what they
mean and when to make use of them?
There would appear to be something to
be said on the side of applied science.
We think it doubtful that Mr.. Blav-
atsky and Miss Collins will be able to re-
store the name Lucifer " to it's etymo-
logical significance of the light -bringer, or
Sun of the Morning. The whole modern
world has come to accept the term in
one meaning. 1t is brave attempt, this
of our theosophical friends, to redeem
the word by adopting it as the style and
title of their new magazine. But what
ever the advertising value of name SO
surprising, we think the theosophists will
find that its associations are a greater
weight than the new journal can success
fully carry.
1t is a just observation of Phillips
Brooks, that every college student is a
beneficiary. He has the benefit Of the
income of hundreds of thousands of dol
lars, often of millions, which is ALWAYS
much beyond whatever sum he pays.
Some are benefciaries to greater extent
than others; and all are "charity schol
ars, and it does not become the one who
receives $500 to take on any airs in COM
parison with the one who receives $1,000.
If the exact and entire cost of each stu
dents education were figured out, it
would be seen that only the sons of the
very rich could afford to pay the expense.
AS it is all, rich or poor, get their educa-
tion far below the cost.
1t is pleasure to learn that the char
acter and career of Stephen Girsrd are
capable of presentation in a light much
more attractive than that in which the
American public has hitherto contem-
plated them. Mr.. Ingram, his latest BIZ
ographer, relieves his memory of almost
all the more repulsive features which
have attached to it, and presents the man,
the citizen, the philanthropist, in really
engaging guise; in solid qualities, such
as man must have to be of use in this
world. Mr.. GirRrd was really affiuent.
His faults of character and his eccentric
tiles were such as we do not find it hard
to forgive IN worse men.
When one of the headings in a Bos
ton paper Monday morning is, Sabbath
at the Pines-a day of unusual pleasure
at that charming resort" we very reason-
ably conclude that the residents around
Massachusetts Bay are not any longer
violently addicted to Puritanical ideas or
practices. The account given of the ways
in which the throngs at "The Pines "
contrived to make that particular Sunday
a day Of unusual pleasure" forbids our
believing that they found their delight in
any form of worship.
1t is complained by one of our es
teemed contemporaries, which presents
in the same issue eight columns of sport
ing news, that the Concord Summer
School of Philosophy has stepped down
from the high circles of the studies of the
academy to the hodge-Dodge Of literary
entertainment" The Concord School be-
gan, it is said, with high ideals, but has
been constrained to lower its standard by
the powerful influence of the desire TO be
popular. Instead of being an educ ator
and oracle, it is degenerating into place
Of amusement
We do not know how just the criti
cism is, as applied to the Concord philos-
ophers; but it occurs to us that the news
papers which prescribe go promptly for
the ailment of the Summer School, are,
so to speak, fiat on their backs, from the
same disorder The worth of our Jour
mails, with only here and there an ezcep-
tion, is vitiated by the eagerness OF their
desire to be popular. Most of them have
some policy or principle or party, to which
they are loyal in spite Of the cost; but all
of them trim and veer on many other sub.
iects, to such an extent rs to empty their
remarks of all value. So far as they ed